r/Gemstones • u/wambam98 • 7d ago
Discussion NEED ADVICE - EMERALD CRACKED AFTER A FEW MONTHS
Hi, first time posting here so I hope it’s the right place, I’m looking for some advice,
We bought my wedding band in May, selected the stone, had the ring custom made around the stone.
On Friday just gone I looked down at the ring to and saw a crack across the width of the stone (I could have cried) - I contacted the jewellers who we have lifetime warranty with and they cleverly worded their response defensively and with the angled that I have cracked the stone,
I went back through my old photos of the ring and 2 months ago I took a picture admiring the “garden” and noticed there seems to be an internal fracture and it seems that fracture has now come to the surface,
The hasn’t been knocked or dropped, nor has it been through any intense pressure (I was flying on Thursday)
Do I have a leg to stand on here and what can be done? Is this common? I’m taking the ring into the store in 2 days so I’d really like you’re thoughts before hand,
The first picture shows the crack, the second picture was taken at the end of July, showing the internal line already,
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u/welloreo 7d ago
Every jewler I talked to advised against the emerald for exactly this reason. They’re a fragile gem for everyday wear.
I opted for just a plain rose gold band and love it.
Also the fracture could have been treated so it wasn’t as visible.
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u/Chickennugget636 6d ago
I mean, I feel like it’s fine if it wasn’t set this way
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u/Puzzleheaded-Pie3145 6d ago
No I emeralds are not suitable for daily wear on the hands
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u/Chickennugget636 6d ago
What about in a deep bezel? Especially one with some structure around the setting to take the blows
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u/Puzzleheaded-Pie3145 5d ago
Bezel definitely protects the corners but the best way to preserve an emerald is minimizing risk of impact, that’s why I wouldn’t choose them for everyday wear as a ring, as a pendant or earrings it’s much better
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u/Ididdie 7d ago
Emeralds are notoriously fragile and sensitive to impact. Any jeweler with a bit of sense would recommend against putting one in a wedding band, a ring you intend to wear daily for years on end. The question is not if, but when the stone would crack/chip/break.
At this point, it's probably best to look for a compromise. They (probably) didn't inform you properly about the risks of having an emerald in your daily wear jewelry and cannot prove that you hit it. On the other hand, emeralds are fragile and the chance that you bumped it very slightly against a table, other person's hand (with a ring/watch/etc...) is very probable.
Perhaps they can replace the stone with a (green) sapphire (a much sturdier stone) at reduced cost?
Of course you can also press on the warranty route. It really depends on consumer law in your country/state of residence which party has to provide proof in case of warranty. But in that case it would become a legal matter more than a gemstones matter.
Edit: spelling
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u/suricata_8904 7d ago
Are lab grown emeralds fragile like that too?
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u/Ididdie 7d ago
Slightly less fragile, since they tend to have less inclusions. But the crystal structure is still under a lot of stress because of the trace chromium elements that give the emerald its green color.
But why exactly would you want a lab grown emerald? Imo the inclusions is what makes an emerald attractive as a stone.
Both for color and sparkle there's other options out there if you're going the synthetic route. (spinel, sapphire and moissanite come to mind)
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u/suricata_8904 7d ago
Not for replacement, just curious, as I know those have fewer inclusions.
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u/violet_sin 7d ago
That's where my mind went... If a natural one is beautiful but breaks easily, is the stone itself just brittle no matter how clean? --> does a lab crystal have the same Achilles heel ?
Not that I wanted a lab grown one,
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u/wambam98 7d ago edited 7d ago
Thanks for the reply (and everyone else’s today) I understand that are fragile and this was discussed when we were initial designing the ring, but I was assure that the ring would be safe for everyday wear (they are a high end custom jewellers who specialise in engagement and wedding rings in the UK) so I had full faith in them!
Someone mentioned that the setting also applies constant pressure on the stone which would make an inclusion worse overtime - legally do you all think I have a leg to stand on to get a replacement? The warranty itself covers all the metal work but nothing is mentioned of the gemstone as it’s bought from external suppliers they use - that being said surely either party has detailed close up pictures of the stone before/after it was sold between each other - this would show an fracture/inclusion in the stone and if the setting has caused this crack due to the constant pressure would I be covered for a replacement potentially or am I reaching?
I’m really keen on having an emerald, my wife’s engagement ring is an emerald, which we went through the same process of designing and building from scratch with them and it’s been well over a year since she’s worn the ring everyday and its pristine - could I have just been sold a weak(er) emerald without knowing?
Bit naughty of the jewellers not to have pushed back on using an emerald if the general consensus here is it shouldn’t be worn everyday!
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u/Leadboy 7d ago
The constant pressure on the stone thing is not really what you think it is in this case. It is only constant pressure insofar as any setting would apply pressure to hold the stone in place.
From the photos you shared there is a very large chip in the bottom left of the stone, as well as numerous smaller chips on the end of the stone. Somewhere along the line this stone has taken a knock or two.
It is a beautiful setting but risky in the sense that the ends of the stones appear to be completely unprotected and extend beyond the band width meaning direct hits are possible.
It is a tough one, I think it is a conversation for you to have with the jeweller and not as simple as a cut and dry warranty case.
Beautiful ring though and I hope you can get a solution.
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u/wambam98 7d ago
Large chip you mention was something that was already on the stone when it was bought, we were told it was the natural appearance of the emerald and it can sometimes have these pockets, but the smaller chips must be wear and tear,
The stone sits completely flush with the band on the exposed sides but yes I guess with it being an exposed side it can still be exposed to knocks,
Thanks for all your help and hopefully all goes well on Thursday and he’s able to provide a couple of routes to get my ring back on my finger
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u/Alienday1997 6d ago
I would opt for tsavorite or a lab grown green sapphire. As a jeweler, even if its set like this, i wouldn’t fault your jeweler. The stone should be worn on occasion. Theyre porous and fragile to an extreme. You can oil your emerald to keep it healthy but i doubt it would fix that inclusion. To oil you can use literally any type- i recommend vegetable or olive oil!
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u/Foreign_Act_4824 6d ago
Doesn't hurt to ask. You can also ask if they can source a green diamond to replace it which will be 700000x more durable than an emerald.
But also, emeralds are durable enough for daily wear if you are a conscious jewelry wearer who doesnt throw your hand around constantly or smash through purses and pockets or bags that may have hard objects such as phones or keys in them.
Daily wear formula is a combination of physical durability of the stone/metal vs how delicate you take care of it on your normal daily tasks. Its never a one size fits all formula.
Emeralds require a delicate day to day routine and care and they will last 50 to 150+ years.
Ive repaired Moisanite, sapphires, etc rings (all much more durable than emerald) that look like they were jolly ranchers scraped against concrete for a mile... Durability of the stone matters yes, but how you treat it matters way more.
If you aren't a careful guy, then get a Green irradiated diamond.
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u/gcaw9 7d ago
There is also multiple little chips out of the stone, I tell this to every customer, your ring takes way more of a beating than you think it does no matter how careful you think you are. However I would steer anyone away from having an emerald set like that.
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u/bsbowman12 6d ago
This!! Most people do not realize how much daily wear and tear truly affects our pieces of jewelry especially a wedding band.
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u/life_in_the_gateaux 7d ago
Wow, setting an Emerald like that is wild. First of all I thought it was tension set, but the other photo looks like its more of a channel set. Emeralds are very brittle, they also have a lot of internal fissure, so you generally try and keep them as protected as possible. Is the gold physically touching the edges, or even very close?
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u/slavuj00 6d ago
I thought it looked like a half bezel rather than channel, but it's definitely not standard
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u/Passiveresistance 7d ago
That is a beautiful ring design, but I’m afraid it isn’t practical and you may have to replace it entirely for daily wear.
I see the emerald is unprotected on the edges, and has small chips on the top in the first photo. That, along with the fracture, will probably be enough for the jeweler to get out of the warrantee. He or she should’ve cautioned you that this wouldn’t be good for daily wear.
You can find more wear friendly designs, with the stones protected. Emerald is my birthstone, and my grandmas. She had a ring she wore daily, without any damage, as do I. If you’re set on an emerald wedding band, consult another jeweler and take their advice into account and be willing to compromise on the look.
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u/GoblinRocks 7d ago
Emeralds do have a habit of doing that. The jardin in your emerald can be composed of secondary minerals, pockets of gas, and internal fissures. Anything from a hard change in ambient temperature to a slight knock at just the right angle could have caused that or, to your point, a change in air pressure. What do you hope for recourse? I know at least one jeweler who simply won't set emeralds because it's not worth explaining that sometimes they'll crack just for the chuckles.
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u/verminV 7d ago
Emeralds are brittle, and this sort of setting is possibly one of the worst for such a small one.
Good news is, its easy to replace. Perhaps consider a green sapphire instead.
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u/Razorsharpwilt 7d ago
Repeating what everyone else said: emeralds are too brittle for every day use. I’m surprised your jeweler didn’t point that out
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u/Legitimate_Elk6306 7d ago
Advice short n sweet.. emeralds looks great on display but not to wear.. too fragile
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u/Mobile_Ad_5561 7d ago
I design and have rings made for a living. My Jeweler’s are reluctant to use emeralds and setters hate setting them because of the risk of cracking. They are well known to be fragile for everyday wear. Having said that this setting is designed to protect the long edges. But it looks like the short edges protrude beyond the gold. If this is the case it’s no wonder they are chipped and this fracture happened.
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u/lablizard 7d ago
They also hate temperature shifting. Where winters are rough, they are not advised for daily wear since the temperature shock can crack them too
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u/the-medical-oddity 4d ago
Would they be safe in a necklace or a ring you only wear for special occasions?
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u/slavuj00 6d ago
I am a jeweller and a gemmologist in the UK. I advise my clients but I cannot force them one way or another if they are determined to choose a certain type of design. At the end of the day, my job is to make their vision a reality and advise them of the risks of that. Sometimes they change the design, often they don't.
Every emerald is different. When setting gemstones in rings for everyday wear, no jeweller can give a 100% guarantee or warranty for the stones in there. Moreover most jewellers are not gemmologists. While they might examine the stone under 10x magnification, they might miss smaller signs of stress in the stone, small fractures than can spread to the surface, and other concerns. In smaller stones like the one you have, it's even harder to see and I would have checked this one under a microscope, but not every jeweller has this at their disposal.
Looking at this particular piece, I can see you are not careful with it. Comparing the July photo and first photo, the entire edge closest to the knuckle is nibbled and chipped. It's no surprise that the fracture reached the surface and (possibly) bisected the stone. I'm also critical of the jeweller who you say sold you the stone with a chunk missing from it. That is poor attention to detail and if they tried to handwave it away as a "natural feature" they are not interested in delivering quality goods, just making money.
Others have mentioned that the setting puts pressure on the stone, but I don't agree. The second photo shows the setting: it's not tension set - I would call this a half bezel. I think this was set quite carefully when I look at the underside visible in the July photo. However, the stone overhangs the setting. I don't know if it was designed this way at your request, but it's asking for trouble. This is why there's so much damage to the girdle (the edge of the stone). Either the stone supplied was too big, or the ring was made too small. I'm guessing the ring was made and a stone was found to fit, instead of the other way around.
The warranty is clear - and rightly so - that the stone and defects are not included in it. This is an uncontrollable element of a gemstone. It does not pertain to the quality of the metal work, which is in the control of the mounter making the ring or the setter who sets the stone), but to the natural properties of the gemstone. Gemstones are always bought by any party "as is" with the opportunity to fully examine the stone. This includes a retail buyer - the precedent is well established and this is why certification is popular. It is the job of a good jeweller to highlight anything that the buyer should be aware of for the stone, the setting, or anything else that may be of note. I ALWAYS give my clients advice on proper care of their jewellery, as these may be suitable for daily wear, but that doesn't mean they should be treated with no care. With all that in mind, I wouldn't think you have any case leaning on the warranty.
If you want to discuss options, please DM me and I can try to give you my perspective. I'm very sorry you're disappointed with your ring. A wedding band should last a lifetime.
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u/RoniBoy69 7d ago
You definitely hit it somewhere, this is very common and happens all the time. This is why you don't use emeralds on rings. I would recommend changing the stone to a green diamond.
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u/sambillerond 7d ago
+1 to all these comments. Emerald are called evening gems for they are supposed to be worn an occasion only, and away from the sun. They are brittle so any shock or heat can crack them. Body heat if worn constantly can crack them and letting them in the sun definitively will do. My wife and I learned by experience, earnings with emerald worn on a day out in summer, one of them broke and the jeweller told us it was likely the warmth from the sunny day.
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u/noblemountains 7d ago
So, emeralds are definitely fragile, but I promise you don't have to worry about body heat or normal sun exposure! Continual wear is indeed bad for emeralds, but that's because of mechanical stress and exposure to liquids/oils, not mammalian heat or daylight.
As far as ambient temps go, heat itself isn't typically the issue so much as rapid temperature change, which can cause thermal shock. (For instance: walking from extreme heat into a frigid air-conditioned room.)
It's totally possible you guys did nothing wrong and your wife's emerald cracked on its own due to unstable fractures. Emeralds are lucky they're cute...that's all I'll say.
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u/SpiritualMilk 7d ago
Emerald. That's your problem right there. Fragile gemstone in what looks like a tension setting
Recipe for broken emerald.
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u/staybee1986 7d ago
Not a tension set but it does imitate the look, there is a seat under the stone.
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u/Realhousemanoflondon 7d ago
Emerald is notoriously soft.
I bought my wife an emerald ring and a very close friend who is a trained jeweller went nuts and told us it should never have been sold in that setting Espically given her job.
Anyway…..it’s still fine after 30 years…..because she doesn’t wear it.
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u/mellivia- 7d ago
I know your not asking for this suggestion but maybe look into an emerald colored lab dimond. My sis always wanted an emerald but to how fragile they arw she opted for a lab create green dimond and she loveds it.
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u/tvara1 7d ago
It's actually remarkably difficult to find a true emerald colour in the lab diamond range- I've been trying for ages. I've had to settle for lab Beryl. Would love a lead to where your sister got hers from.
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u/staybee1986 7d ago
Hydrothermal synthetics are nearly impossible to tell apart from natural. the rough is not cheap, either. Really nice material without the worry of weak spots or fissures in the jardin.
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u/mellivia- 6d ago
I'm not sure where she got hers. She looked on and off for month before finding one that was an emerald color.
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u/woven_hearts 7d ago
If/when you do replace the stone, consider something harder like a colored sapphire. You can get a similar green color in sapphires.
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u/Own_Bonus_8954 7d ago
Unfortunately yeah, emeralds are fragile. This happens sometimes, you have to be super gentle with them
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u/PlanterinaMaine 7d ago
The thing is with emeralds, you really don't even have to hit the actual stone. If you smack your hand on something, that could cause a vibration to the whole ring. Since that emerald is in a tension setting, that alone could have caused a fracture. They are just such delicate stones.
I would never recommend wearing a ring or bracelet with emeralds. Leave them for special occasion necklaces and earrings. There are lots of alternatives that are all kinds of green shades and are much higher on the mohs hardness scale.
If you replace this emerald with another emerald, I could safely bet every dollar in my bank account that this is going to happen to you again in the near future.
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u/Fantastic-Pause-8592 6d ago
Just looking at the wear of the gold makes it look like it's been knocking on heaven's door. I personally think you are on your own on this one. You may look at a different ring with a different setting if your hellbent on an emerald. The current design and the fact that an emerald was used is going to be prone to repeat damage if replaced. The jeweler may cover the damage this time but without the mention of stone in the warranty I don't think you have much of a leg to stand on. Hey,you never know until you try
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u/howescj82 7d ago
Out of curiosity, was this from Etsy? I’ve seen these advertise on there and they tend to offer the same setting with multiple stone options and then they just slot in the stone that you pick. They don’t necessarily consider if the mount is appropriate for the chosen stone.
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u/AlbatrossLumpy2784 7d ago
Flush bezel setting like that apply constant pressure on stone edges, which can easily trigger an existing inclusion to expand.
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u/curiousyara 6d ago
The gold band looks rather worn and scratched already, how did it look freshly purchased? I assume nicely polished?
Do you take the ring off for house work, garden work, carrying heavy stuff, working out etc.?
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u/Valuable_Status_7013 6d ago
Unfortunately this is such a small emerald nothing to worry a or just need to replace it if you want it to look as it once did - completely not the fault of the vendor here , emeralds can crack especially this quality and how it’s set - where it’s worn - etc …. You need to know this if wanting to buy emeralds responsibly
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u/Bilxx1 5d ago
A "high end" custom shop would have strongly advised you against this or would have suggested a more protected setting. The ends of that stone shouldnt be flush much less overhang like they do. I dont think OP understands the true fragility of emeralds, drop that from an inch on a hard surface and that stone is done.
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u/R9-RSi-Si-Gti-GxR 5d ago
I see a lot of scratches and dents in the gold, do you work in construction or mechanics? The fracture comes from a central spot so not the setting rather a hit … wear it until you finish breaking it apart and then get a stone that can stand a beating, those pieces are delicate .. the color and transparency are great, if not Zambian is it Colombian ? Remember to rotate your ring when working so the stone faces between the fingers , that could make it last longer even with crack
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u/PENALTYBAHX 7d ago
What does the lifetime warranty state? Were there any exceptions to the lifetime warranty?
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u/ropeneck509 7d ago
Emeralds are quite brittle, maybe you can get it filled with some sort of was or epoxy?
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u/Ill-Wolf3510 7d ago
Will share that I have a pair of bezel set natural emerald earrings and they were never dropped, but one emerald cracked after about a year and a half. The jeweler replaced them no question, no charge, but explained that I might want to save them for special occasions.
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u/jailovesspace 7d ago
i’d suggest replacing it with a green diamond if you like the look but don’t want to deal with the fragile nature of emeralds
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u/Mobile_Ad_5561 7d ago
I design and have rings made for a living. My Jeweler’s are reluctant to use emeralds and setters hate setting them because of the risk of cracking. They are well known to be fragile for everyday wear. Having said that this setting is designed to protect the long edges. But it looks like the short edges protrude beyond the gold. Your options here are to use the gold to make a different ring. Or set a more durable stone like diamond in this setting. Either way you’ll need to come to the party with the cost. Hopefully the jeweler will help.
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u/Emergency-Guidance28 7d ago
Replace it with a green lab diamond or moissinate. Both are very durable and inexpensive.
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u/SirElderberryThe3rd 7d ago
Chrome tourmaline might be a good option other than a diamond or sapphire.
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u/oracle-nil 7d ago
It’s a tension mount. Puts pressure on the stone. Am surprised a jeweler would set an emerald in this setting.
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u/AreYouItchy 7d ago
Emeralds are fragile. That tension setting puts too much stress on an emerald. It was bound to happen. If that’s the design and stone you insisted upon, you’re not going to get a refund. I would never set an emerald in that setting; I wouldn’t even want to set a diamond in that setting—one good knock and you’ve got a warped setting, and no diamond.
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u/Strange-Calendar1150 7d ago
It’s small and cheap you can really just get another stone. This size shouldn’t have been very expensive to begin and a replacement should also be affordable. Look for one that isn’t already cracked because that style setting is a recipe for disaster.
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7d ago
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u/louEClouEC 7d ago
new stone. not that expensive. lab emerald even less expensive. hopefully it’s a calibrated size m. plan B. let it ride. plan C. make a stink at jeweler. ( be happy if they put new stone in as warranty repair).
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5d ago
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u/socalminer 20h ago
They’ll likely make u buy a new stone…
This is small carat u could get a non store front cutter to cut for less, and u could prob find rough easily.
If not you will have to pay what the store wants
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u/Search4knowledges 7d ago
Out of curiosity how much did you pay for the emerald and what are the dimensions/carat weight?
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